


Dreams Are for Fables and Legends

by nicetomeetmew



Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: ...sort of, Angst, Brother-Sister Relationships, Coma, Emotional Hurt, Fable is Leg's big sister because I said so, Fable is best big sister, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, Legend is confused, Modern Era, More tags to be added, Sibling Love, Time is cryptic as heck, don't let the nice beginning fool you, inpsired by a theory from pokemon make of that what you will, not beta read we die like confused veteran heroes, ominously sips tea, other characters might show up heh, some boys are just mentioned for now but they all have their parts to play, switching POV, this will be confusing and that's intentional
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 03:01:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28699569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nicetomeetmew/pseuds/nicetomeetmew
Summary: The mind is a fickle thing. It’s an escapism from reality. It creates security, discomfort, confusion. We hide here away from reality, whether intentional or not. And those on the outside can merely wait for us to return.Or: Legend is content on his adventure with the heroes of courage and his sister struggles with his absence.
Relationships: Fable & Legend (Linked Universe), Legend & Time (Linked Universe)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 34





	Dreams Are for Fables and Legends

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Amaria567_Eloft](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amaria567_Eloft/gifts).



> Me? Impulsively starting a new fic? I would never!
> 
> Okay now that we have the sarcasm out the way... welcome to what may the most confusing fic I've attempted and also one of the ones I've put the most thought into. I was going to wait a bit before starting to post this but I couldn't help myself. I got this idea once and I could not stop thinking about it. I'm not going to say much more because I want to keep this as cryptic as I can and I want people to draw their own conclusions and make their own predictions.
> 
> One more thing. This will get heavier as it continues. I don't want to spoil anything and I will include warnings at the start of chapters where they're need, but just to let you know. Stay safe lads.
> 
> Okay long boring stuff out the way. Let's get to it :)
> 
> Also: big thanks to [Padge_LovesArt](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Padge_LovesArt) who came up with both the title and the summary for this fic. Thank you, you absolute star <3

The forest was a perfect picture of peace. The sun shone brightly in the seemingly endless blue sky, illuminating the emerald green clearing that was serving as the break spot for the nine heroes of courage.

Legend leaned back against a tree, fiddling with the rosy red apple in his hand, staring up at the cloudless visage above him.

It truly did feel perfect.

"What are you smiling at?" a voice said suddenly, yanking him back to the present. He glared at the speaker, Warriors, who was sat nearby, sharpening his sword with an infuriating smirk on his face.

"I'm not smiling," Legend snapped, turning his gaze to the lush grass instead. Warriors laughed loudly, making him grind his teeth in irritation.

"If you enjoy our company, you can just say so."

Legend scoffed but said nothing, turning the apple thoughtfully in his hands.

He heard Warriors get up, walking off to the other side of the clearing, whistling cheerfully. He could not stand him, he really couldn't. But...

Legend sighed, leaning his head back against the bark, closing his eyes. He tuned out the sounds of everyone around him, letting his smile return. He felt... content. He wasn't sure how long he'd been with the other heroes at this point, all he knew is that it had been a while. While he loathed to admit it, he had grown close with them. Even the insufferable captain. He enjoyed laughing at Wild's reckless exploits, pranking the others with Wind, getting on Warriors nerves. He liked to tease Twilight and Four and enjoyed sitting quietly with Hyrule at the end of a long day. As for Time... he wasn't sure how he felt about the appointed leader of their group. He was kind but something about him made Legend uneasy. He could never put his finger on what. But he was never one to ignore his feelings.

He sighed once more, letting a soft breeze wash over him. He was happy, sat there in his own darkness. Maybe he could just stay there for a few more...

"...egend? Legend!"

He jolted from his stupor, snapping his eyes open to see Time stood over him, staring down at him in concern.

"What?" he growled, not exactly pleased at having been disturbed.

"I said we're leaving," Time replied, not missing a beat.

What? But they'd only been there for about five minutes.

Legend looked around and sure enough, the other heroes were gathered by the edge of the trees, geared up and ready to go, several of them peering at him strangely. He quickly got to his feet, trying to ignore the burning in his cheeks. He grabbed his stuff, striding away without so much as a glance at the elder hero.

"Are you not going to eat that?" Time asked, gesturing to the apple in his hands. Legend looked down at it. Its shine had faded, leaving it dull and unappealing. He tossed it aside with a huff.

"No."

* * *

The air was quiet as the heroes made their way through the trees; only broken by their footsteps and the clanking of armour. The sun was beginning its descent behind the trees, casting a gentle golden glow over the group as they walked. It was peaceful. It was perfect.

Legend strolled in time with Wind, who was far more silent than usual, but was still bounding along with a happy grin on his face. Legend suppressed a smile of his own. He couldn't help but admire how carefree the boy was. They were travelling through an unknown land, facing an unknown threat, and yet he was acting as though he's been doing it his whole life.

Wind looked up, as though sensing the other's eyes him, his smile broadening.

Then, it twisted in horror.

"Legend, look out!" he yelled. Legend twisted round just in time to dodge a wicked fast swipe of a sword, the blade mere inches from his face. A cruel faced bokoblin loomed in front of him with a snarl. Legend scowled, whipping out his sword in a flash of red.

He darted forward, impossibly fast, driving his blade forward with as much strength as he could muster. The creature sprang out the way, pushing past him. He spun round the fun a whole hoard of monsters surrounding the heroes, everyone locked in an intense battle.

He caught the eye of Time, who was caught in a clash with vicious lizalfos. The older hero shook his head at him, before rearing back, driving his sword through the monster with a spray of black blood. Legend glared at the back of his head. What was that supposed to mean?

With renewed anger, he ran into the fray, expertly swinging his blade, sending droplets of black flying. He parried a sharp swipe from another damned lizalfos, pushing it back and slashing at it with a roar.

He wrenched his sword back, panting slightly. He looked around. Corpses of monsters littered the forest floor. But that was all. He spun around looking for the other heroes. They were gone.

A branch snapped behind him and he whipped round, sword drawn only to find time stood, watching him with an unreadable look on his face.

"Where-"

"Why didn't you stay back?" Time interrupted; his voice filled with seriousness. Legend stared at him incredulously.

"Why the hell should I have stayed back?"

"You need to keep yourself safe."

What was that supposed to mean?

"I don't know if you noticed old man," Legend snapped, his strings on the verge of snapping. "But we're all kind of together in this situation."

Time face softened, twisting in sadness. He shook his head. "You need to stay safe," he repeated, far softer this time. Legend felt nothing but anger and confusion.

"Why-?!"

Time cut him off with a wave of his hand. "Come on. Wild says dinner will be ready soon."

"What? But it's..." He trailed off as he stared up at the sky, pitch black and studded with stars that sparkled like diamonds. The full moon shone down on him. Bright, shining and perfect. He felt his anger ebbing away, leaving him with only confusion.

It didn't make any sense. The sun had just barely been setting before and the fight hadn't been _that_ long. He looked back at Time who was watching him carefully.

"...I don't understand," Legend said at last. Time smiled kindly.

"Don't worry. You don't need to right now." He turned, beckoning him to follow. Legend did, his legs wooden beneath him. It didn't make any sense.

Time led him a short distance away into a clearing, similar to the last. Only this time it was aglow with the cheerful, flickering light from the roaring fire in the centre. Wild was happily stirring something in his cooking pot, Wind was excitedly regaling some tale to Warriors and Twilight, while Sky sat nearby, fingers dancing along the strings of his harp, Four watching him with an unusually wide grin on his face.

Time paused, turning to Legend, his eyebrow quirked questioningly. The teen looked around, taking in the warmth, the happiness. Hesitantly, he made his way closer to the fire, sitting down next to Hyrule, who was watching intently as Wild worked. He looked up with a friendly smile, before turning his attention back to the cook.

Legend felt calm spread through him, a slow smile coming back to him. Time was right. He didn't need to worry.

This was perfect.

* * *

**Elsewhere...**

A young woman hurried down the street, pulling her hoodie tight around her, though it did nothing to ward off the rain that hammered down from the deep grey sky. She splashed carelessly through the puddles, ignoring the water soaking through her shoes.

The sound of traffic and people shoving past her on their way to work filled her ears, almost unbearable. But she soldiered on. She was almost there.

She rounded a corner and felt her steps falter. The building loomed imposingly over her, its shadow daring her to enter. Heaving a deep breath, she steeled herself, running inside. She pushed through the doors, making her way into an all-too familiar lobby. The woman who was sat at the desk glanced up at her arrival, her face flashing with recognition as she pulled down her hood. The receptionist merely nodded politely and carried on with what she was doing. The girl wasn't expecting anything more. This had become routine.

She made her way to the bank of lifts, trying to ignore the squelching her trainers made on the polished floors. She caught sight of herself in the lift door's reflection - soaked through, her long, blonde hair hanging in rats’ tails. She looked as haggard and exhausted as she felt. She was grateful it was so early - there was barely a soul to be seen, and therefore no one to see her.

Her journey to her destination was uneventful. As it always was. She only bumped into one person, a young man who recognised her, said good morning and hurried on. Like always.

Like always, she strode through the long corridor, breathing shallowly to avoid the heavy scent of disinfectant. It was only as she drew closer to the room that she hesitated. She stopped in front of the door, hand resting on the handle.

There was no use in delaying it. She knew what she was going to see, so why prolong it?

_Because something may have changed_ , a tiny, hopeful voice whispered to her. She gripped the handle tight, her knuckles turning white.

No. She wouldn't give herself hope. There was no point. She knew that by now.

With a deep breath, she slowly opened the door.

Familiar sounds immediately floated out to meet her. Swallowing back the emotion that built up in her chest, she slipped in, softly closing the door behind her. She stood there, rooted to the spot, as she took in the sight that she had arrived to see every day for the past eight months.

Her brother lay, motionless, in the bed before her, his face a perfect picture of peace. The only indication he was even alive was the gentle rise and fall of his chest and the incessant beeping that filled her ears. Her eyes flicked up to the source, catching sight of that line that peaked and fell with every beat of her brother's heart.

She despised that thing. Every time she heard it peak, she was terrified. Terrified it would stop.

Slowly, she made her way closer to the bed, sinking down into the chair that always sat beside it. She watched his eyelids flicker slightly, before falling back into that perfect image of tranquillity.

"Good morning, Link..." Zelda whispered, so soft it was barely audible. No reaction. The same as always.

**Author's Note:**

> *sips tea*. I hope you're enjoying so far!
> 
> Comments/constructive criticism are always appreciated :)


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